He attracted support from certain elements of the Fijian population who were angered by the results of the 1999 election, which had swept away a government dominated by ethnic Fijians and brought to power a multiracial government led by Mahendra Chaudhry, who became Fiji's first-ever Indo-Fijian Prime Minister.

At a more personal level, a spokesman for deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry said that on principle, — provided that he reveal the identities of the persons who had planned and financed the coup.

A few weeks later they announced the formation of new group in Pakistan called the Revolutionary Socialist Movement, created by activists who had been involved in the lawyers and democracy protests around the sacking of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

Chaudhry remained active in the Labour Party, and assumed leadership of the party in 1991 from Adi Kuini Bavadra, widow of Timoci Bavadra who had died in 1989.

Mahendra Chaudhry, then had no choice but to lead the FLP into the election.

Late in 2004, Chaudhry announced that the Labour Party had decided to remain in opposition for the remainder of the parliamentary term, seeing no way to resolve the impasse without making unacceptable compromises.

Prior to the resignation, there had already been widespread rumors that Bainimarama wanted to remove Chaudhry from the government.

Chaudhry defended his record as Finance Minister, saying that " the value of our dollar today would have been about 20 cents had we not taken the measures that we took.

" Chaudhry countered that his party was, in fact, pro-business had enacted a number of policies aimed at stimulating economic growth when it was in power.

" Chaudhry pointed out that there was no comparison between a premeditated act of treason and a mere traffic offence for which he had not been sent to jail ( the prison sentence was not for causing death, but for failing to stop ).

The Fiji Times reported on 4 September 2005 that Chaudhry and his principal opponent, Prime Minister Qarase, had traded mutual accusations of using hate speech to win political support.

Addressing the House of Representatives on 23 November 2005, Prime Minister Qarase alleged that Chaudhry had had money raised for him in the Indian state of Haryana, and called on Chaudhry to reveal what had happened to the money since.

This followed reports in the Indian media that an Indian political party, the Indian National Lok Dal ( INLD ), had raised over a million crore ( F $ 376, 557 ) for Chaudhry in 2001, who was then visiting India to raise support following his overthrow in the 2000 coup.

It was announced on 7 December 2005 that India's Bureau of Investigation had cleared Chaudhry of the allegations.

As such I have had the resort to legal action ," Chaudhry declared.

Prime Minister Qarase had earlier alleged on 5 December that Chaudhry had been a party to the negotiations, and called on the FLP to reveal whether it was involved with Singh's compensation claim.

Chaudhry released correspondence on 20 January 2006, citing it as proof that neither he nor his party had tried to collect a commission on Indian loans granted for sugar industry reform.

Chaudhry announced on 27 February that as of 16 January, he had withdrawn his case against Fiji Television, but not against the Prime Minister.

Reacting angrily to the charges, Chaudhry threatened on 4 December to sue Qarase if he failed to apologize for or substantiate his claims.

Despite this success, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali failed at healing rifts within his political party, the Muslim League.

On 30 May, however, he cautioned that the legislation failed to address the core problems that made national unity so elusive, which he said included the grievances of deposed Prime Minister Chaudhry and military commander Bainimarama.

Prime Minister Qarase hailed the decision, saying that he had received the " overwhelming support of the Fijian people ," but Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry said that the chiefs had failed to address the issue properly, and that he would continue to fight the bill.

On 14 December, High Court Justice Anthony Gates dismissed a call from Chaudhry to impose a gag order on Prime Minister Qarase, from making media statements until Chaudhry's lawsuit is heard.

" His dismissal attracted a strong reaction from Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry, who said that whereas Kotobalavu was paid to be the Prime Minister's spin doctor.

According to Chaudhry, they did so voluntarily in preparation for the planned general election, although Bainimarama said that " there was a communication from me to about him resigning ", while dismissing the issue's importance.

It is good for the elites in society but not for the ordinary Fijians ," Chaudhry said.

Chaudhry said on 18 October 2005 that he and the FLP would not support Prime Minister Qarase's attempts to close constitutional loopholes that undermine Fiji's anti-gay laws.

Chaudhry said that gays rights were guaranteed by the constitution and must be upheld ; the Prime Minister, who needs a two-thirds majority in Parliament to change the constitution, was just wasting his time trying to gain FLP support for the measure, he said.

" My anger about the whole episode is that Shri Chautala should exploit the feelings of the ordinary and poor folks of Haryana who are emotionally tied to me and to the people of Indian origin in Fiji and play on them a game of deceit for self enrichment ," Chaudhry said.

Chaudhry derided the revelations as " laughable ," and said that they showed no connection whatsoever between himself and India's Exim Bank, or with the Indian government loan.

" It was clear that having made wild baseless allegations, the PM was clutching at straws to try and validate his claims ," Chaudhry said.

Moon is not a criminal or a terrorist to be treated in this manner ," Chaudhry said.

" Chaudhry was joined by Senate President Taito Waqavakatoga, registered as a coordinator of the group, who said that Moon would have made a positive contribution to Fiji.

Qarase said that he did not condone hate speech, and claimed that Chaudhry himself was often guilty of using hate speech in his political campaigns.

On 5 December, lawyer Rajendra Chaudhry, acting for his father, Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry, gave Qarase a three-day ultimatum to apologize for what he said were defamatory allegations, that Chaudhry had attempted to collect a commission on an F $ 86 million dollar loan from the Indian government for the reform of Fiji's sugar industry, or else face a lawsuit.

Chaudhry derided the revelations as " laughable ," and said that they showed no connection whatsoever between himself and India's Exim Bank, or with the Indian government loan.

" They want something for nothing and their proposal is simply not on ," Chaudhry said.

Mahendra Chaudhry, the leader of the Indo-Fijian community who in 1999 became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, said that he did not agree with, but understood, Mara's reasons for acting as he did, and accepted his apology for having done so.

Mahendra Chaudhry said that he did not believe that Mara had been involved.

This proposal was immediately opposed by Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry, who said it would lead to " dual government ," in Fiji, and also drew criticism from Ratu Epeli Ganilau.

Leader Mahendra Chaudhry said that Baba was a deserter, and that the SDL must be " hard up for candidates " to have selected a man like him, while Deputy Leader Poseci Bune told the Fiji Sun that he was baffled by the turn of events.

Qarase has said that he would abide by the ruling, but his refusal to include Chaudhry in the Cabinet lineup continued to stall negotiations, until the FLP announced in November that it was no longer interested in participating in the Qarase-led government.

At a personal level, however, a spokesman said on 11 October that Chaudhry would consider meeting Speight and forgiving him-provided that he name the persons responsible for instigating and financing the 2000 coup.